[TenTec] 160 Meter Problem

Mon Aug 18 12:03:58 EDT 2014

OK, so it is transmitting, but just not enough power.

Perhaps my first impulse was indeed correct, a relay on the LPF board.
It just seems to me that it should draw more current in TX, even if the LPF
isn't properly selected.

How many amps does it appear to be drawing, or can you not tell?

73 - Rick, DJ0IP
(Nr. Frankfurt am Main)

-----Original Message-----
From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim Allen
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 5:43 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] 160 Meter Problem

OK, Omni VI+ on Dummy Load, Omni VI on dipole.  With no antenna on VI, I can
barely hear the VI+.  With the dipole I hear it loud and clear.

Thanks!

73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen

On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 10:30 AM, Rick - DJ0IP / NJ0IP <Rick at dj0ip.de>
wrote:

> WAIT, that was a very stupid comment from me.
> If it's not drawing power, then it's not a relay on the LPF board.
>
> Instead, I wonder if it's even transmitting at all on 160m.
> With power turned down low, tune to the same frequency on a second 
> receiver and see if you hear any signal.
> To be safe, start with no antenna attached to the second receiver, if 
> you hear nothing then add a short piece of wire as an antenna.  
> Normally you should hear a 599 signal if it is transmitting at all.
>
> If it is not transmitting, then it might be the local oscillator which 
> is a crystal oscillator.
>
> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Rick 
> - DJ0IP / NJ0IP
> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 5:26 PM
> To: 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] 160 Meter Problem
>
> This sounds like a 160m band relay not functioning on the LPF board.
>
> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Jim 
> Allen
> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 5:21 PM
> To: n4py3 at earthlink.net; Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> Subject: Re: [TenTec] 160 Meter Problem
>
> I'm out here in the shack now with the radio to a dummy load. To 
> answer Carl's question, no, there was no noticeable change in current 
> going from receive to tune.  I tune at very low power, just enough to 
> make the AH-4 happy, and generally run QRP anyway.  When I "tune" now, 
> the red "tune" LED illuminates, the green "ALC" illuminates, the audio 
> goes away and nothing else.  There is no output.
>
> As I advance the PWR control, and get on the other side of halfway, 
> there are occasional spikes on the meter, very short.  As the PWR is 
> advanced, the Ic suddenly jumps from zero to about 10, then increases 
> erratically up to near 20, with no output on the wattmeter.
>
> On 80M, as I advance the PWR, the output shown on the wattmeter and 
> FWD meter increases smoothly up to 100 watts.  Ic advances slowly then 
> up to about 16 amps at full power.
>
> On 40, it draws more than 20 amps at full PWR, slightly more than 100 
> watts on the wattmeter.  On 30M, it draws about 13 amps and gives about 35
watts.
> On 20M, full 100 watts on about 15 amps.  Same on 17, except Ic is 
> about 18 amps. and the same on 15, 12 and 10M, with some variation in 
> Ic between 15 and 18 amps.
>
> Thanks for the suggestions so far.  Any ideas?
>
> 73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 9:36 AM, Carl Moreschi <n4py3 at earthlink.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Was the Omni VI drawing lots of current from the power supply when 
> > you keyed it on 160?
> >
> > Carl Moreschi N4PY
> > 58 Hogwood Rd
> > Louisburg, NC 27549
> > www.n4py.com
> >
> >
> > On 8/18/2014 10:31 AM, Jim Allen wrote:
> >
> >> The AH-4 actually matches just about anything as long as it is 
> >> longer than 7M, the longer the better, but not an even 1/4 wl.  
> >> There is a spreadsheet of "forbidden lengths" available in the 
> >> Yahoo Groups files section.
> >>
> >> I intend to run the Omni VI+ on a dummy load today, on every band, 
> >> but I saw nothing that made me think the match was a problem.  I 
> >> can imagine seeing a bad load would "fold back" power but there was 
> >> nothing
> to fold.
> >>
> >> The 706 matched up just fine, same antenna, same feed line, same 
> >> tuner, same connector, etc.
> >>
> >> I'll report back if anything develops.
> >>
> >> 73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen
> >>
> >>
> >> On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 9:17 AM, Rick - DJ0IP / 
> >> NJ0IP<Rick at dj0ip.de>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>  Start with a dummy load.
> >>> Make sure the Omni VI is working OK on the dummy load.
> >>>
> >>> I'm surprised the AH-4 even found a match.
> >>> It is only rated to cover 80 thru 10m.
> >>> I used an AH-4 a lot in the past but I could never get it to load 
> >>> anything up on 160m.
> >>>
> >>> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> >>> (Nr. Frankfurt am Main)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of 
> >>> Jim Allen
> >>> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 4:12 PM
> >>> To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
> >>> Subject: [TenTec] 160 Meter Problem
> >>>
> >>> I was sitting in the shack minding my own business last night when 
> >>> I noticed on the DX cluster that W1AW/5 was on 1821.5 in Oklahoma.  
> >>> I have not tried 160M here, but do have a 130' dipole and an AH-4 
> >>> to match it with, which might work, so I thought, "what the hey?"
> >>>
> >>> I got it all set up and could hear W1AW/5 extraordinarily well.  I 
> >>> moved up the band a bit to tune and ........ nothing.  No output 
> >>> whatsoever.  I checked... traced the coax, antenna connected to 
> >>> wattmeter, wattmeter connected to Omni VI+, AH-4 tune control 
> >>> getting power, etc.  All seemed to be in order.  I tried again...
> >>> nothing.  The radio went into tune no output no tone, nothing.  I 
> >>> switched to 80M, found a clear spot, tuned normally.
> >>> I went back to 160M, nothing.  I advanced the power knob from 
> >>> nothing to as high as I dared... still nothing.
> >>>
> >>> I then moved to the 706MKIIG, got it going on 160 and made the 
> >>> contact, no problem, although I did have to use 100 watts instead 
> >>> of 5.
> >>>
> >>> This is the first time I have tried this Omni VI+ on 160M, but it 
> >>> seems to be working just fine on the other bands, very well, 
> >>> actually.
> >>>
> >>> What could this be?  Where should I start?
> >>>
> >>> 73 de W6OGC  Jim Allen
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> TenTec mailing list
> >>> TenTec at contesting.com
> >>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
> >>>
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